Demolition more often than not connotes something negative. It wouldn’t be much of a surprise if one is quick to get pangs in the chest at the sound of the word. But then, sometimes you must destroy to rebuild.
For instance, you may need to get a set of wooden cubicles out of an enclosed space, just so you install a new design. It could be a redundant signpost in front of your building, that gets in the way of its perfect picturesque view, even in the slightest way, and you need it off.
You, therefore, must destroy to rebuild! And what better tool to execute such rough, tough and dirty jobs other than a sledgehammer?
A sledgehammer is a tool with a handle that is attached to a heavy, forged steelhead. The handle is often long allowing for the hammer to gain momentum while being swung with force against an object that is targeted for demolition or destruction.
There are different types of sledgehammer, even though all are expected to perform the same functions. Basic ones have wooden handles but given the difficulties such as breakage and slipping of the hand during usage.
Perhaps you are set performing a demolition task and you need something more than a regular hammer. Here is a review of the best sledgehammers from which you can make a pick.
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Review of 10 Best Sledgehammers
#1. Estwing Drilling/Crack Hammer 4 Pound Sledge
No products found.Every handyman needs to have this tool as part of their home toolbox. It may not be one to consider for heavy-duty but you are guaranteed effectiveness when it comes to light-duty hammering.
The head and handle of this hammer were made from forged steel, showcasing strength and durability. The smart looks of this sled are further enhanced by its polish given to the faces and the blue UV coating around the entire piece. Once sighted you know that it is ready for business at all times.
It weighs 4 pounds and can be used for drilling into, and cracking hard surfaces. You really don’t need to apply too many swings and heavy blows to drive in hardened nails. This piece is compatible with punches, chisels and star drills as well.
The ease of use of this hammer is underscored by the anti-shock that is designed around the grip. Really, it is hard not to get some form of shock if one is going really hard on the job. But the grip is guaranteed to give a fair degree of shock reduction.
This one is the go-to guy for outdoor work, as it will surely provide high-quality performance and precision.
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#2. Jackson 1199800 J-450 16 pounds Sledge Hammer
No products found.Drilling is no work for lightweight hand tools. What this model of Jackson sledgehammer provides is pure heavy duty. You may even deploy it for cracking strong concrete and masonry stones.
You may call this thing a beast if you will! The head is built with 16 pounds of forged high-quality steel. With this level of sturdy shape, the tool will produce intense demolishing power.
On its part, the handle is about 36 inches which is a standard length for the ideal sledgehammer. It was made from fiberglass that offers maximum core strength for reliability & safety.
This unit is perfect for all types of demolition work, as the handle provides additional power to that of the forged-steel head. The power and force applied to the swing will however give the hammer efficiency.
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#3. Fiskar PRO 750620-1001 IsoCare 10lbs Sledge Hammer
No products found.Most of the time, what will get an outdoor demolition has to be a beast of a tool. The size and expected level of impact must be outstanding. Well, this is one of the model form Fiskar that deserves to be tagged as a “beast”.
There is in this sledgehammer an insulation sleeve tucked in the handle. This appears to aim at helping to reduce vibration. Yes, vibration cannot be totally dealt with but good enough reduction is of the essence.
Purposely built with an extra-large driving face, the tool will produce a powerful impact with every strike. Concrete, strong wood, masonry stones or whatnot, it will do perfect justice to all.
Besides, the handle flare will keep the handle firmly in hand while taking powerful swings. Even with the utmost force, this sledgehammer will not snap off or slide down. You can go down hard on anything with confidence.
When it comes to the use of this kind of hand tool shock and vibration may not be avoidable. But this one will reduce up 2 times the shock and vibration that you get from a sledgehammer with a wooden handle.
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#4. Stanley 57 5542 Pound Combo-Cast Sledge Model Soft Face Hammer
No products found.Stanley has a wide range of quality outdoor tools and what they bring to the table regarding this sledgehammer is well worth giving consideration. The major plus of this model is perhaps the handle. It was designed to be easy to brandish yet with quality to produce productive results.
The amount of striking leverage for the hammer is resultant of its 36-inch long handle. Despite its relatively light weight of approximately 12 pounds, the length of the handle will facilitate a perfect impact with every strike.
If there is an overstrike, and this often occurs during demolition work, this thing will not break. This is as a result of the handle which is reinforced steel for a combination of strength and safety.
While deploying this tool to work, it will provide a considerable reduction in the noise mostly created by impacts. The Urethane covering of the handle appears to do quite well enough to reduce noise pollution. This is one feature you cannot but admire.
The flat part of the head makes it easy to store, as it can stand straight or tilted against the wall. So, its length, which is quite long, will not stand in the way of other things that you need to store.
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#5. Stanley FMHT56006 FATMAX drilling sledgehammer
No products found.This sledgehammer simply exemplifies “small but mighty”. Built to deliver powerful strikes to drive home strong nails and crack hard surfaces, this model of Stanley tools is a tiny beast of equipment!
Nevermind the oxymoron, the sledgehammer at its best gets breaking done smarter and faster than regular, wooden-handle types. Specifically, the bullet nose on the hammer gives a 50% more powerful impact that similar, small hammers.
The head weighs about 3 pounds while the hand is roughly nine inches. With this profile, you will see that
More often than not, people looking for a quality sledgehammer focus on a well-built head. But the handle is just as important as the head. This particular hammer has a handle that is made with fiberglass.
It, however, has a tendency not to be durable. That, of course, is due to the fact that it is not meant for heavy-duty works.
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#6. Neiko 02867A Fiberglass sledgehammer
No products found.Neiko makes quite a number of tools and this sledgehammer is one of its most reliable products. It is a mini hammer that doesn’t seem to be designed for industrial use. If you have a tight budget and you need a good hammer for everyday domestic use, then you may want to consider this one.
It has an overall weight of 3.6 pounds with the bulk of it in the head which is made from strengthened steel. That the head is mirror-polished gives this hammer a nice appearance. Besides, it appears that this thing may not corrode over a long period of time.
The fiberglass and rubber materials of the handle also it a nice, sleek look. But that is minor compared to the fact that the handle has a non-slip grip.
However, you may not find this tool useful for industrial purposes. This is simply because it was not made for such.
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#7. Estwing Sure Strike Drilling/Cracking 3 Pound Hammer
No products found.This is one of the handiest and, be nice sledgehammers on the market. Perhaps, the nickname “sure strike” is what does it for most. But it definitely offers lightweight efficiency.
If you choose to give it some consideration, you’re sure to get a number of good features. For example, the handle which is made of fiberglass will give well-balanced and swing and overall, comfy use.
What makes the handle well as well as the rubber grip around it. With it you are able to a comfy control over every swing such that irrespective of the workload the burden wouldn’t reflect too much on the muscles.
Apart from that, the smallness of its size is one that tells you how “handy”. The expectations for an ideal sledgehammer is a long handle (36-40 inches in length) and a heavy head that weighs loads of pounds. This doesn’t seem to inspire much confidence in first-time users.
However, its forged steel head with maximum strength will perform quite well on light duty. Besides, it is somewhat versatile as it can be used with all kinds of nails, chisels star drills, punches and so on.
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#8. Wilton 20lb Head 36 inches B.A.S.H Sledgehammer
No products found.Wilton is another top choice when it comes to handy tools, especially hammers. This special one was apparently built for the heavy load of demolition yet fair enough for its handling.
It weighs 20 pounds with much of the bulk in the head. Like several other sledgehammers of quality, the material used for its head is forged steel. This, coupled with the double-faced and sturdy appearance, inspires confidence as much as an assurance of good delivery.
What about the handle? It is made with a combination of inflated rubber and durable steel with an overall length of 36 inches. While the rubber gives it nonslip grip, the steel makes it possible to have steady swings the complement the head’s impact.
Speaking of the power of the head, given the roughly 20 pounds weight, you are going to have less difficulty lifting it. In addition, no matter how tough the task is, it will produce a massive impact that gives maximum satisfaction.
There is also a safety plate that prevents the head from loosening out of place against the handle, especially while attempting hard-hitting tasks. This prevents you from unanticipated injury on the job. to keep the head from coming loose.
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#9. Ludell 11312 sledgehammer
No products found.This unit is not top five when it comes to excellent sledgehammers but since it is on this review list, it is definitely a top choice as well. You only need to have a feel of some of its positives.
Perhaps the best of the hammer’s features is that it weighs 12 pounds which makes it quite easy to use even for novices at demolition work. Not too light, not too heavy! This is one of the few hammers that manages balance in weight.
Fiberglass is part of the materials that are used in making the handle, meaning that it will make for easy swinging without hand shock. The hammer is also double wedged. What this means is that the handle is given additional tightening to the head to prevent disconnection.
In the case of overstrike, this hammer will give some form of protection to its user. With a guard on the handle, the hammer also relatively reduces anti-vibration.
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#10. The AMES Companies 16 pounds Jackson Sledge Hammer
No products found.The AMES Jackson Sledge Hammer is considerably okay. Even though the quality may seem a little questionable, especially for those who deploy this kind of tool on regular tasks, it actually does demolition well enough.
It basically features a 36-inch handle and a forged steel head that is double-faced and of about 16 pounds in terms of weight. The hitting part of the hammer’s head is round and flat which makes it a good choice if you are looking to demolish metal poles.
The assurance that these features give is good leverage from the handle and high impact from the head. It is relatively light and can crack open concrete and bust up strong wood with ease.
On the flip side, the hammer has no anti-vibration which is a needed feature for demolition tools like this. It also doesn’t have a non-slip grip that makes it easy to use. As a consequence, professionals might be quick to jettison the idea of this hammer.
The handle has not throat guard and provides no protection. What this also means is that it could break at any time depending on usage.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the head weight?
The weight of sledgehammers can be as low as 3 pounds and as high as 20 pounds. Those that are below 12 pounds are usually considered to be lightweight while those above can accomplish large scale demolition works. The weight of the head is usually determined by the level of the task at hand. So if all you’re ever going to do with a sledgehammer is minor domestic demolition, then you don’t need a 16 pounds and above head size.
What does a double head fiberglass handle mean?
This simply means that the hammer has a double head. You can choose to deploy either side for demolition. Fiberglass handle refers to the material with which the hammer is made. This material, fiberglass handle, is especially for non-grip so that your handling will be more comfortable. In short, double head and fiberglass handles are important features of a quality hammer.
Is it good for bladesmithing?
Yes, any kind of sledgehammer should be able to do blacksmithing, blademithing or whatever manner of smithing. These guys are primarily designed to take quite a beating. More so, they do well with demolishing rough metals, especially flat ones. It is, however, good to deploy a hammer that has its head and handle made of forged steel. That would ensure a high degree of effectiveness.
What is the length of the handle?
The length of sledgehammers vary. You could have 6inches or more. It would appear that the longest handle is 36 inches but on rare instances, you could get a few additional inches to that. But length is not as important as the materials used in making handles. Having a handle that complements the strength of its head is equally important.
Can I demolish a wooden wall and brick?
Yes of course. That is what all sledgehammers do. The mini ones would bring down wooden walls conveniently but those that are not durable enough may give you problems. It’s all about quality, really. If you are looking to bring down a brick wall, you may need a really strong hammer, particularly heavyweight ones with sturdy heads.
Where is this hammer manufactured?
The majority of sledgehammers come from Taiwan and China. Well, people tend to have little or no faith in products that are not from the United States or some countries in Europe. This explains why this particular question is asked frequently. Nonetheless, there is a good number of quality hammers from Taiwan. Some are a part of our top ten, meaning they will so what they were made for.
Will it break an igneous rock?
A geological pick, geologist’s hammer, rock hammer, and rock pick is the ideal tools for breaking igneous rock and, as a matter of fact, any kind of rock. However, some sledgehammers can do justice to rocks as well. The ones that fall in this category usually have forged steel head with solid weight and complemented by sturdy handles. Not all hammers that fit this profile will not end up breaking an igneous rock.
Can the hammer be used for a workout?
You can use a sledgehammer to work out. The best bet is to hit it against a tire to get rewarded with strong muscles. But there is no point in hoping to attempt a workout schedule with 10 pounds and above hammers. It is advisable to do 3 pounds of the head or at most 10 pounds. Whatever the case is, using any kind of hammer one way or another builds up the muscle. However, one can specifically procure a hammer for this singular purpose.
What is the level of reduction of vibration?
Well, the hammers that feature anti-vibration are many. However, none can claim to guarantee a hundred percent reduction of vibration because tasks that they are used involve high impact. Some guarantee fifty percent, some claim higher. But then, you will find out from use.
Final Verdict
Finding a sledgehammer that suits your needs is not easy given that there are too many of them online. From our review, you can see that even the best ones have limitations. In other words, it is always about what you need to achieve with it.
The most vital information you must have concerning these things is that the head and handle of a hammer should complement each other. Besides, it is best to have a handle made from Fiberglass to make usage easy and comfortable. In brief, all the hammers listed and reviewed here are great for demolition.
Last update on 2023-09-30 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
